He that is taken and put into prison or chains is not conquered, though overcome; for he is still an enemy.

Wives are young men’s mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men’s nurses.

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.

As the births of living creatures are at first ill-shapen, so are all innovations, which are the births of time.

There cannot be greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse.

A man’s conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.

Fashion is only the attempt to realize art in living forms and social intercourse.

They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.

For also knowledge itself is power.

Any one reflecting upon the thought he has of the delight, which any present or absent thing is apt to produce in him, has the idea we call love.

A wise man should so write (though in words understood by all men) that wise men only should be able to commend him.

Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.

Therefore if a man look sharply and attentively, he shall see Fortune; for though she be blind, yet she is not invisible.

The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.

Our deeds disguise us. People need endless time to try on their deeds, until each knows the proper deeds for him to do. But every day, every hour, rushes by. There is no time.

Science is the knowledge of consequences, and dependence of one fact upon another.

We cannot observe external things without some degree of Thought; nor can we reflect upon our Thoughts, without being influenced in the course of our reflection by the Things which we have observed.

Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of the Deity; and without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.

Silence is the virtue of fools.

Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.

It is of great use to the sailor to know the length of his line, though he cannot with it fathom all the depths of the ocean.

Leisure is the Mother of Philosophy.

People have discovered that they can fool the devil; but they can’t fool the neighbors.

Studies perfect nature and are perfected still by experience.

God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.

Things of this world are in so constant a flux, that nothing remains long in the same state.

Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.

The correlative to loving our neighbors as ourselves is hating ourselves as we hate our neighbors.

The joys of parents are secret, and so are their grieves and fears.

They that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils.

No man’s knowledge here can go beyond his experience.

There is no such thing as perpetual tranquillity of mind while we live here; because life itself is but motion, and can never be without desire, nor without fear, no more than without sense.

Fundamental ideas are not a consequence of experience, but a result of the particular constitution and activity of the mind, which is independent of all experience in its origin, though constantly combined with experience in...

Good fame is like fire; when you have kindled you may easily preserve it; but if you extinguish it, you will not easily kindle it again.

Studies serve for delight, for ornaments, and for ability.

A sudden bold and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open.

I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.

A man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force, to take away his life.

If we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us.

We cannot command Nature except by obeying her.

Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set.

But the church cannot confer the necessary gifts for this ministry, and cannot prescribe for God those upon whom he should confer them.

The condition of man… is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.

If a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics.

Young people are fitter to invent than to judge; fitter for execution than for counsel; and more fit for new projects than for settled business.

Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter.

All mankind… being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.

Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from some sudden conception of some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the infirmity of others, or with our own formerly.

The fortune which nobody sees makes a person happy and unenvied.

Judges ought to be more leaned than witty, more reverent than plausible, and more advised than confident. Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.